We went to a shopping centre today and passed by a tourist agent, whose windows were decorated by posters full of alluring beaches, huge palm trees, brilliant blue seas - you get the picture. The longing I felt when I saw them almost hurt !!! So today, I have for you something which will remind you of warm summer days, balmy nights and hanging around a swimming pool - a Summer collection by Riverdale Can you smell summer already?
It's still undeniably winter outside and my feeling of being cooped-up (and as a result - exasperated and frustrated) must be peaking... I want it to be warm enough not to wear 5 layers of clothing all the time, not to get goose bumps every time I finish showering and reach for a body balm and to be able to leave home without scarf, cap and gloves... Know the feeling? We went to a shopping centre today and passed by a tourist agent, whose windows were decorated by posters full of alluring beaches, huge palm trees, brilliant blue seas - you get the picture. The longing I felt when I saw them almost hurt !!! So today, I have for you something which will remind you of warm summer days, balmy nights and hanging around a swimming pool - a Summer collection by Riverdale Can you smell summer already?
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It’s an established fact that I am a bit crazy when it comes to handbags, and I’m not afraid to admit it ;-) Since the beginning of this blog I’ve shown you quite a few of my favourite brands and designs, and some incredible handbag-creations which bordered on art – bag designs made entirely from flowers and leaves, sculpture-like bags from polymer clay and quite a few others. And today I have for you yet another handbag-novelty – handcrafted from wood. Small, smooth, with flowing lines, rounded shapes and intricate patterns, each and every one of them is original, eye-catching and interesting. And in case you still have any doubts – yes, you can actually use them as handbags, these are not wooden sculptures to admire from afar. I fell in love with the one with the ladybugs, shown on the photo on the left, but the other ones would be a stunner on any night-out as well. Apparently all bags are manufactured from a certain type of African acacia tree, and the designs are supplemented with exotic skins, leathers, crystals, gemstones and pearls. They belong to the UK fashion label called Rocio, founded by Hamish Menzies, Theresa Nepomuceno and Rocio Olbes. You can find more information about them and their incredible creations here, and below is a selection of their handbags for you to browse. And I'm in love again, with yet another completely crazy handbag. And this time it's definitely a winter handbag, which is quite a surprise since normally it's spring and summer collections which are more interesting and fun. But there's no mistake, this is a real winter handbag, mainly because it's...in the shape of an igloo!!! Not to mention that is has penguins on it (and I do have a small weakness for them ;-), and an Eskimo... Since it's a Temi by Braccialini bag, it's full of small and meticulously made details, hand-made, high-quality and of course costs a fortune, but a girl can dream, can't she? :-) Would you dare to go out carrying it? I certainly would!
It might be possible to come across an offer of a Valentine's gift which is not heart-shaped, but it isn't easy - when February starts, the hearts pop up literally everywhere... While the heart is not my favourite shape - it's just not original enough - I've found a line of pendants which, while also heart-shaped, add to it a bit of - shall I say, sparkle? - and a pinch of coyness by accessorizing it with... some devilishness :-) Some are nicer than the others, but all based on the same idea - the one I like most is the one on the photo on the left, although the one with the pearl is also intriguing. And would you go for any of these? I've found them here. Enjoy! Today, let me start with 3 axioms:
1. Women love to get gifts - on St Valentine's Day as well 2. Women love handbags 3. Women love to get flowers Now, a clever man can combine the knowledge of the above in order to come up with a truly original and heart-winning gift, which will win him a lot of "brownie points." How? Get a florist to prepare a flower arrangement in the shape of a bag - something like the one on the photo below, which I've made recently. It's actually quite easy to make and doesn't require that many flower material, and the effect is incredible! You can make it with red roses, or any other flower of your choice, decorate it with hearts or adjust it in any way you like :-) Good luck! I think everyone has a few proven techniques of fighting winter depression - after all, we're all supposed to have survival instinct, aren't we? In my life I have developed quite a few, but unfortunately now that I'm living in Warsaw, I can't really apply any of them.
When we lived in Holland, one thing I would certainly do this time of the year would be to go to a Gardening Centre, which by now would be overflowing with blooming bulb flowers and Spring collections of my favourite interior-deco designers. Even without buying anything, an hour-long walk through such a shop (they tend to be huge), would be an incredible mood-booster. And here is one of the collections which I'd certainly find there - Sweet Fantasy by Riverdale. With its bold and clashing colours, strong contrasts and simple designs it gives a boost of energy we all very much need this time of the year! Here are some photos from this collection, and you can find more here. Enjoy! Yes, St Valentine's Day is definitely coming - there are red hearts, roses and chocolate boxes everywhere, and when I look at them I can't help thinking how tacky and artificial it all is... Plus, if it's really a celebration of love, why should a guy get away with giving just one rose or a small box of chocolates? So I guess I have nothing against the basic concept of this celebration, but I do have a problem with the mass-market approach to it.
Are there any alternatives? Certainly, although probably not so easy to find... If I come across something interesting, I'll put it on my blog. In the meantime, I have something which I hope will inspire you when it comes to buying chocolates. After all, today you can find on the Internet chocolates in all kinds of imaginatve shapes, you just need to believe that they're worth hunting down. So here are some incredible chocolate creations, which I think are attractive at some very basic, in-born, chocolate-craving instinct level. There's just one small catch - ther're not exactly real, as they exist only in the imagination of amazing graphic designers. I've found them here. Enjoy! And I'm back! I haven't posted anything during the last few days since I was sick - I got that kind of nasty cold, when you feel as if you collided with a herd of elephants, and after that they came back to dance a jig on your barely-breathing body.... On top of that, this past weekend my in-laws came to vist... So as you can see, I have a really good excuse for neglecting my blog for a few days! But I'm feeling a bit better now, so today I have for you a selection of eye-catching, slightly extravagant and unusual necklaces, which are guaranteed to make you smile :-) And who knows - maybe it's also a good inspiration for a special gift for the upcoming St Valentine's Day? They're all by Accessorize. Enjoy! And I'm finally taking a break from writing about arranging flowers, and I've found for you a very unique china set - one with which you'll certainly surprise, amuse and impress your guests. It's called Woodland, it's been launched some time ago by the English brand Spode and it features amazingly detailed drawings of... wild birds and animals. Both the pattern and the shapes are very decorative and curve, and the colour palette is wood-related. Here are a few pieces I liked most, and you can find more here. Enjoy! It's day 5 and I think the tulips are starting to feel the strain - I should probably give them a break, and some time off in a cool place... Since both me and my husband are warmth-loving creatures, the temperature in our living room is not exactly perfect for tulips (or any other cut flowers, for that matter). In the meantime, I have completely re-arranged my boquet again, this time building a spiral bouquet on a wire construction topped with a twig nest. I have to say that even I was surprised by the end result, I haven't expected it to look so warm, cute and even Easter-y, wouldn't you say? So, here it goes:
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August 2012
AuthorA fiery red head, a writer and a photographer in love with beautiful design and all things creative |